


Encounter

by Sealgirl



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:47:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29818944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sealgirl/pseuds/Sealgirl
Summary: Summary – On a lonely planet, Obi-Wan and Anakin almost get caught in a landslide.Prompt – “One of the 8 or 9 times Anakin saved Obi Wan; Keeping count”
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Kudos: 9





	Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> A/N – Written for the starwarsficfest 2008.

  
  


‘What are we doing here, Master?’ Anakin made sure his tone had the veneer of respect, though respectful was the least of what he felt at the moment. He knew the answer, but needling Obi-Wan was to be an amusing way to pass the endless time.

‘We will wait as instructed, Anakin,’ Obi-Wan replied in a serene tone. ‘The Council…’

‘…sent us and we will not exceed our mandate with attempts at frivolity,’ continued Anakin with a slightly smug tone. Obi-Wan frowned at him and looked back out across the barren, blasted landscape. The two suns were dipping towards the horizon, and very soon the sultry heat of dusk would evaporate away quickly, leaving only a cold wind. The two of them sat at the designated meeting point, on a short scree-covered slope beneath a cliff of loose sandstones. It wasn’t the sort of place that Anakin was comfortable being, even more so since it wasn’t out of choice.

It hadn’t been a difficult mission, it hadn’t even been classed as dangerous,. They were to meet some people for the courteous exchange of information and a show of mutual trust that had been done countless times before. But deep in the bland, rock-filled mountains, Anakin had seen what Obi-Wan had undoubtedly missed: the opportunity to have some _fun_.

‘There’s nothing here, Master. I don’t see why I can’t try out the speeder at full power. This place is perfect. No one will know.’ He had lost count of the number of times he’d said that, and he knew what the answer was going to be.

‘I will know, Anakin!’

‘No one else will.’

Obi-Wan didn’t reply, but Anakin didn’t need to be Force-sensitive to sense that his Master was starting to get very annoyed beneath his unflappable exterior. There was something about the angle of his shoulders, and the tilt of his head that told Anakin exactly what Obi-Wan was thinking. What was more, Anakin knew that it wouldn’t be long until his Master finally snapped and either let him fly (unlikely, it was true) or sent him back to the ship. Either way, at least Anakin would actually be _doing_ something, rather than sitting around in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do but sit around on some shattered rocks and wait.

They were silent for a few minutes, Obi-Wan with his eyes closed in serene meditation and Anakin shifting uncomfortably every five or ten seconds, hoping to attract his Master’s attention. When that didn’t work, Anakin started to stare at the side of Obi-Wan’s head, wondering how long he would stay like that and how long it would take before he said something. Obi-Wan didn’t like being stared at.

Anakin looked at the curve of his ear, and the few stray strands of light brown hair that curled round it. He could even see the tiny beads of sweat on his temple.

He was so engrossed in his contemplation that, when the Force pushed itself to the forefront of his mind, it caught him off-guard. Anakin’s senses registered danger; unexpected and crushing movement, coupled with pain and disorientation. And it was centred right here.

The Force was desperately screaming at him to react, he knew what was going to happen. In fact he could practically hear the crunch of rock already. But Obi-Wan was still waiting with his eyes closed, deep in meditation. Anakin stared at his Master, unable to believe that he hadn’t sensed that something was about to happen. He stood.

‘Obi-Wan?’

The other man opened his eyes, his features registering anger and frustration. It was a look that Anakin recognised as a prelude to a lecture. But in a moment the look was gone. There was the sudden roar of a crashing stone; other than that, there was no warning.

With the full power of the Force at his disposal, Anakin found it easy to get out of the way of the oncoming rocks. But Obi-Wan didn’t. Whether it was because he had been distracted, or because he just didn’t see it coming, Anakin couldn’t tell. But a moment later, the tide of rock swept past them, and Obi-Wan vanished in a haze of dust and stones.

Anakin should have been immobilised by shock and fear. But instead he knew exactly what to do, he reached out through the blinding fog of dust, his mind searching for his Master. Obi-Wan would only be able to stand the onslaught for a few seconds, and Anakin had to be fast if he was going to stop his Master from being swept away in the wave of stones.

His fingers felt soft material and Anakin grabbed them tightly and pulled with all his strength. The ground around his was beginning to break up, the once hard sandstone turning back to shifting sand. They had to get out of the way before the rock slide devoured them both. He pulled harder, and the semi-conscious body of Obi-wan lurched out of the haze. He was coughing, and there was a thin line of blood from a cut on the side of his cheek.

The ground was pulling at his feet, making his legs heavy, but Anakin staggered on, away from the roaring stones pulling Obi-Wan with him.

Together, they struggled across the stones to a relatively safe place where they could catch their breath. There they stood, both gasping for air, trying to get their bearings. Anakin looked keenly at his Master. He was shaken, that was very obvious.

‘Do you think it was deliberate?’ Anakin asked at last.

‘I- I don’t know,’ said Obi-Wan, rubbing his forehead. ‘It does not make sense, but then the chances against it happening just by accident are not encouraging. I don’t know.’ There was a long moment of silence, while Obi-Wan frowned at the ground. ‘We should speak with the Council on this matter.’

‘So, back to the ship?’

‘Back to the ship,’ agreed Obi-Wan.

He took a couple fo steps forward, still unsteady on his feet, and Anakin took his arm to help keep him upright. For just a second, Obi-Wan looked as though he was going to object, but in the end he accepted the help with a silent, grateful nod.

‘I should not have let myself get so _distracted_ ,’ muttered Obi-Wan. ‘I should not have lost my focus.’

‘Are you alright, Master?’ he asked, not letting the pride he felt at saving Obi-Wan (yet again) leak into his tone.

Wincing, either through pain or embarrassment, his Master nodded.

‘Yes, thank you, Anakin.’

There was a pause.

‘Aren’t you going to tell me that I did well?’ He let a slight air of mockery slip into his voice, hoping that that would raise a small smile.

Instead, there was a subtle reddening of his Master’s face at the words, and for a moment Anakin thought he had gone a step too far. He didn’t mean to embarrass his Master or draw attention to the other man’s weaknesses. He just wanted a little praise to sooth his pride.

‘Yes, Anakin, I am going to tell you that you did do well. And you have my thanks.’

It sounded a little grudging, but still, Anakin smiled at the slender praise from his Master. And as they slowly walked back to the ship, Anakin couldn’t help thinking: _That’s six._


End file.
